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-RBA *Minnesota *Minnesota Statewide *September 21, 1995 *MNST9509.21 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Statewide/Twin Cities
Date: September 21, 1995
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (612) 780-8890
Compiler: Anthony Hertzel
Transcriber: Connie Osbeck (cosbeck@aol.com)
This is the Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, September 21st, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. Earlier this week, Kim Eckert saw an unusual LOON on Lake Superior north of Duluth, but the bird was too distant for him to positively identify. But, Thursday, September 21st, Tony Hertzel checked this area and located a PACIFIC LOON. This LOON was at the spot known as Stony Point in St. Louis County. Stony Point is approximately 18 miles north of Duluth along Old US Highway 61. Both Kim and Tony searched for the bird later in the day but it could not be relocated. Last Saturday, Tony also found an immature BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE in Duluth at the end of Park Point just past the small airport. This bird too could not be relocated later in the day. For further information on birds in and around the Duluth area, you can call the Duluth Rare Bird Alert at (218) 525-5952.
Peder Svingen found a second SABINE'S GULL in Roseau County. Peder had found a SABINE'S GULL at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Marshall County on September 6th. This more recent record was at the Warroad Sewage ponds in Roseau County on September 16th. On Lake Osakis in Todd County, thousands of FRANKLIN'S and RING-BILLED GULLS and hundreds of WESTERN GREBES were seen on Sunday, September 17th.
Shorebirds can still be found in relatively good numbers around the state. The following species of shorebirds have been reported either from Duluth, New Germany or Anoka County during the past week: BLACK-BELLIED, AMERICAN GOLDEN, and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SPOTTED, SEMIPALMATED, LEAST, STILT, BUFF-BREASTED, BAIRD'S and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS plus HUDSONIAN GODWIT, RED KNOT, SANDERLING, DUNLIN and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE.
A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATHER was seen briefly by Paul Egeland in Duluth on the 16th. The bird was along US Highway 53 at the junction of County Road 133. Despite several searches by other birders, the bird has not been refound.
COMMON RAVENS are tending further south than their normal summer range. Last week Ray Glassel saw one in Chisago County about 7 miles north of the Washington County line and on September 15th, Ken LaFond reports one flying over Anoka County Road 18 just west of Carlos Avery Refuge.
I have a report of a female BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK coming to a feeder in Fridley. I have not been able to get in touch with the caller reporting this bird before this bird report was updated, so its verification cannot be certain. There are about a dozen records for this casual species in the state and at this time of year, female and immature male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS begin showing up at feeders around the state and are often mistaken for BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS. Since most species can look very much alike at this time of year, great care must be taken in the identification of this bird.
Paul Budde found a male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER at the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge area in South Minneapolis on September 15th. The bird was just west of the parking lot past the first pond on the right. Other WARBLERS still being reported include YELLOW-RUMPED, PALM, BLACK-AND-WHITE, NASHVILLE and OVENBIRD.
The next scheduled update of this tape is Thursday, September 28th. If you have birds to report, please leave your name, phone number and a brief but specific message.
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